The national Future Leaders Award shines a spotlight on exceptional women and leadership talent. This year’s winners were selected from a shortlist of 10 outstanding candidates, with the results unveiled at the fifth annual ceremony.
This is the first year the facilities management (FM) sector has been represented and achieved top five status, with BaxterStorey cementing its place alongside global leaders such as HSBC, Lloyds, PwC and KPMG, as investors in talent.
Barras said: “I was truly honoured when selected as a finalist, representing BaxterStorey, among such remarkable businesswomen who have achieved director status within their early careers.
“This achievement reaffirms my passion for the foodservice industry – it is my duty to be an ambassador for female and young talent, to inspire and encourage other future leaders to enter the FM world and have the confidence to achieve their potential.
“I sincerely thank my amazing RBS team and BaxterStorey for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to make a real difference.”
BaxterStorey director Simon Esner said: “Having just turned 29, Catharine is one of the youngest operations managers within the food service industry and is a true ambassador for women in business and the food service industry.
“Her involvement with ‘Women in the City’ demonstrates her commitment to raising the profile of the industry, ensuring that food service is viewed as a credible and dynamic business and ultimately a career of choice.
“Catharine has demonstrated drive and determination towards her own development and that of her team which has led to consecutive promotions and promotions of her team year on year.”
Sponsored by Google, HSBC, Penna and ICAW, the Women in the City Future Leaders Award is open to those in any sector, function or role in the UK for organisations employing 250 or more.
Organisers said that, at a relatively young age, these women were contributing beyond their functional, technical or specialist area, and were committed to their personal and professional development with a heightened sense of self-awareness.
The joint winners from the five finalists were Naomi Bowman, senior manager governance & operations of HSBC Holdings and Dr Deborah Gill, interim director, UCL Medical School, University College London.